crescent

The story

1. Anglo-Normancressaunt
2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱer-
3. Proto-Indo-European*ḱreh₁-sḱéti
4. Latincrēscō
5. Latincrēscentem
6. Old Frenchcreissant
7. Middle Englishcressaunt
8. English todaycrescent

From Middle English cressaunt, from Anglo-Norman cressaunt and Old French creissant (“crescent of the moon”) (French croissant), from Latin crēscēns, present active participle of crēscō (“arise, thrive”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱreh₁- (“to grow”). See Old Armenian սերիմ (serim, “be born”) and սերեմ (serem, “bring forth”), Ancient Greek κόρη (kórē, “girl”) and κούρος (koúros, “boy”), Latin creāre (“produce, create, bring forth”) and Ceres (“goddess of agriculture”). Doublet of croissant. The pronunciation with /z/ is a comparatively recent innovation due to the influence of words such as pheasant and present.

Words from the same roots